Odometer



April 20, 1937. H, N. BLISS 2,077,565

ODOMETER Filed June ll, 1934 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE oDoMETER Harvey N. Bliss, East Hartford, Conn., assignor toVeeder-Root Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut 17 Claims.

My invention relates to odometers.

It has for its object to provide an improved reset trip odometer of thetypeadapted to be used on automobiles or the like. A further object 5 isto provide such a device which is both markedly more flexible and moreconvenient in use than existing structures of which I am advised. Otherobjects are to provide such a device having improved resetting meanswhereby it is made possible to avoid confusion resulting from backingthe car, and such means wherein the drive is positive, wherein thecounter may be reset quickly to zero without the necessity forreciprocating an operating part, and wherein the counter wheels can alsobe turned forward or backward through their transfer mechanism to anydesired figure. A still further object is to provide an improved andsimplified construction having the parts thereof arranged andcooperrating in `an improved manner to enable these improved results tobe obtained, while at the same time producing a simple and inexpensiveconstruction. These and other objects and advantages of my constructionwill, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing. I have shown for purposes of illustrationone embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a trip sectionequipped with my improvements, the parts/being shown in normal drivingposition;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional View of the mecha- 35 nism shown inFigure 1 with the parts in position for certainl resetting operations;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of 40 Fig. 1, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 5-5 of Fis. 1.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a reset trip section ofa well known internal transfer pinion type described and claimed in aco-pending application of Edward A. Slye, now issued as Patent No.2,004,881 and having a reset knob K, this trip section being hereinimproved as will hereinafter appear.

In my improved construction, the number units, I, 2, 3, 4, are connectedby usual internal transfer mechanisms one of which is generallyindicated at 5, while the several units are arranged coaxially of aresetting shaft 6, and driven from a rotating part connected to thevehicle wheels,

as by a spur gear l. Herein, however, the number units l, 2, 3, and 4,the gear 'I, the shaft 6, and the usual rotatable and reciprocable resetknob K are operatively associated through improved means in such manneras to enable the shaft 6 to be used as a quick resetting shaft while thecounter remains connected to the gear 1, and while also enabling thenumber wheels to be operated to add or subtract when the counter isdisconnected from said driving gear l; all through suitable manipulationof the rotatable and reciprocable reset knob or member K and while thefirst or lowest number unit, herein 4, is rotatable independently of theshaft 5 and also adapted to reset with the other number units I, 2, and3.

More particularly, it will be noted that the shaft 6 is provided with ausual resetting groove 8 adapted to cooperate with pawls 9 carried onthe several number wheel units. Herein these pawls and this groove 8 arereversely disposed so that when the shaft 6 is turned in one directionthrough the rotation of the knob K, as hereinafter described, theseveral pawls 9 will be picked up in the groove 8 and the several numberunits I, 2, 3, 4, will be returned to zero position in a quick resetoperation requiring only one complete revolution of the shaft 6.Further, as will hereinafter appear, this shaft 6 herein is not rotatedat any other times than during this quick resetting operation and duringthe subtracting operation, and also is always disposed in a singlelongitudinal position, no reciprocation of this shaft being necessary.

It will also be noted that each of the number units is provided with animproved and reversed spring connection between two clutch parts I andII cooperating to form the number units, herein illustrated only inconnection with unit 4, the others being identic in construction. Asshown, this clutch connection comprises a series of ratchet teeth I2disposed around inside the rim of the member I0 and a plurality ofsprings I3, each of the latter herein having one end seated in a slot I4in a laterally projecting portion I on the clutch member II, and thesprings I3 herein also extending to the left from the slots I4 asillustrated in Fig. 3, and having their opposite ends seated inoppositely located notches between the teeth I2. Here attention is alsodirected to the fact that these springs I3 are so formed at their outerends I3', which engage in the notches between the teeth l2, that eachportion I3 will engage the edges of adjacent teeth I2 and thus act tocarry its member I0 in either direction. and only ratchet idly Vover theteeth I2 whenever the load, as for example, that due to binding of thewheels, exceeds the spring tension.

As shown herein, the member I I is freely rotatable relative to theshaft l and provided with an axial recess I9 receiving a correspondingdriving extension I1 (Figs. 1 and 5) on the end of a member i9reciprocable longitudinally of the shaft and herein adapted to rotatethe member II and rotatable with a spur gear I9 adapted to mesh with thedriving gear 1 in one longitudinal position on the shaft 9 (see Fig. 1)and to be disconnected from the gear 1 when shifted longitudinally ofthe shaft 9 to the left (see F18. 2). Herein, it will also be noted thata coiled spring 2l acts between the bottom of an annular recess 2I inthev member Il and the adjacent face of the spur gear I9 in such manneras normally to locate the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Also, it will be noted that the member I9 is provided with a beveled camface 22 engageable by a like beveled cam end 23 on a transversely'reciprocable and reverseiy rotatable resetting member or knob K which inturn carries a bevel gear 25 adjacent its end 29. Herein this gear 2l,when in its normal or out position, shown in Pig. 1, meshes with a bevelgear 29 fixed to and rotatable with a collar 29 which is, in turn,suitably' fixed, as by a pin 39, to the shaft I beyond the end of themember I9. Further, this gear 25, when the knob K is pushed in, as shownin Fig. 2, is adapted to mesh with a cooperating bevel gear 2l disposedaround the member I9 as an axis and between the spur gear I9 and asuitable shoulder 21 on the member I9 and rotatable with the latter andthe gear I9.

In the use of this construction, it will be evident that when the partsare in their normal or driving position shown in Fig. 1, the resettingshaft 6 may be operated when desired by merely rotating the resettingknob K to the left; the bevel gear 25 then meshing with its fellow 2land rotating the shaft 6 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4, through thecollar 29 to cause the groove 9 of the shaft to pick up the variousnumber wheels including the wheel l and return them to zero position inthe counting direction.- or to any of the usual I intermediate positions111.1, 222.2, 333.3, etc., for a quick resetting. For example, if it isdesired to turn the number wheels to indicate 111.1, they obviously maybe turned to this position within approximately one revolution of theshaft 6. Further, if it is desired to turn them to 125, it will beevident that they may be turned by use of the shaft 6 to indicate 111.1,and that then in my improved construction, by merely pushing in the knobK to force the member I9 to the left as shown in Fig. 2, and thenrotating the knob K to the right in such manner as, without rotating theshaft i, rotate the gear 2i in an advancing direction, the number wheelswill be caused to add through their transfer mechanism just as if themachine was traveling over the road, the pawls 9 then traveling over thegroove 9 in the shaft l without engagement therein. Further, it will beevident that, with the reading at 111.1, if the gure sought is 108, itis similarly possible by merely pushing in the knob K and then rotatingit reversely, i. e. to the left, to make the number wheels subtractthrough the transfer mechanism to the desired ilgure, the pawls 9 thenengaging in the groove 8 and rotating the shaft l, which is free torotatedue to the disengagement of gears 2l and 29.

As a result of mv improvements, it will be noted that in addition to theslow settings ahead or backward of the wheels through their transfermechanism when the reset knob is pushed in and reversely rotated, it ismade possible to effect a quick reset to zero without the necessity ofpushing in the knob at all. Attention is further directed to the factthat in my improved construction, as above described, backing of the carwith the reset knob in its normal out" position, has no tendency tocause the figures to be split in a window, or upon longer backing, toeffect a quick reset of the counter through the rotation of theresetting shaft thereof in a resetting direction since, in the normalposition of the parts shown in Figure 1, the shaft 6 can never drive thenumber wheels, the mileage backed being merely subtracted from thereading in my improved oonstruction through the transfer mechanisxn.Splitting of the figures in a window and the inadvertent quick reset,above mentioned, occurred in certain former constructions because thereset shaft was also used as a driving shaft with the result that thereset pawls of the counter wheels where engaged during backing of thevehicle by the reset slot upon reverse rotation of the driving andresetting shaft and moved in a resetting direction. It should beparticularly noted that in the present construction the lowest ordernumber wheel I is neither fixed to the re- A set shaft 9 nor driven byamember fixed to the latter and that as a result, even during prolongedbacking, the counter wheels cannot be driven in a resetting direction bythe shaft 9 through reset pawls 9 either to effect a quick reset or tosplit the figures in a window, the shaft 9 never driving the counterwheels except when the knob K is manually rotated in its out position.Further, it will be observed that the drive is positive,

as distinguished from a friction drive, and that all wheels are reset,as distinguished from requiring a non-reset rst wheel as in the priorart. Attention is further directed to the fact that it is made possibleto obtain these results while continuing to use a non-reciprocable resetshaft and eliminating any necessity for either rotating this shaftduring driving, or shifting the reset shaft longitudinally betweendriving and resetting positions, 'I'hese and other advantages of myimproved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to lthoseskilled in the art.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodimentwhich my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthe same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the same may bemodified and embodied in other forms without departing from the spiritor the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An odometer having operatively connected counter units, resettingmechanism for said units including a rotary reset shaft and means foreffecting a quick reset of said units upon rotating said shaft in onedirection, and mechanism novmally driving said counter units in acounting d'1- rection through their operative connections and reversibleto drive them in the opposite direction through said connections andhaving means including a driving member freely rotatable relative tosaid resetting shaft for inhibiting automatic quick resetting of saidcounter units upon driving the latter in a reverse direcion.

2. An odometer having oratively connected counter units, resettingmechanism for said units including a rotary reset shaft and means foreffecting a quick reset of said units upon rotating said shaft in onedirection, and mechanism normally driving said counter units throughtheir operative connections in one direction and reversible to drivethem in the opposite direction through said connections and having adriving member on said shaft and means enabling said driving member torotate freely relative to said shaft during driving in. one directionwhile iuhibiting automatic quick resetting of said counter units duringdriving of the latter in a reverse direction.

3. A counter'` having operatively connected` counter units, drivingmechanism therefor, and resetting mechanism for said units including arotatable resetting shaft stationary during counting movement of saidunits in a forward direction, means operative upon rotation of saidshaft in a resetting direction for automatically connecting said shaftto each oi said units to edect quiet.: resetting of said units, andmeans operative to disconnect said driving mechanism and rotate saidunits to add or subtract.

4. A counter having operatively connected counter units, ,drivingmechanism therefor, and resetting mechanism for said units including arotatable resetting shaft stationary during adding movement of saidunits, means operative upon rotation of said shaft in a resettingdirection and while said driving mechanism remains connected forautomatically connecting said shaft to each of said units to effectquick resetting of said units, ,and means operative to disconnect saiddriving mechanism and rotate said units to add or subtract.

5. The combination with a vehicle trip section odometer comprising aplurality of number units having transfer mechanism therebetween andunit driving mechanism having a driving member adapted to be driven fromthe vehicle, of resetting mechanism including a reset shaft, means foroperating said units to effect a quich reset thereof upon a resettingoperation of said shaft, and means for at will operating said shaft, andmeans for at will shifting said driving member and thereupon drivingsaid units through said transfer mechanism while said shaft operatingmeans is inoperative.

6. The combination with a trip section odometer comprising a pluralityof number units having transfer mechanism therebetween and unit drivingmechanism including a driving member, of resetting mechanism including-arotatable reset shaft, means for rotating said units to effect a quickreset thereof upon rotation of said shaft in a resetting direction, andmeans for at will rotating said shaft, and means for at will shiftingsaid driving member and thereupon rotating said units in oppositedirections through said driving and transfer mechanism with said 'shaftinoperative in one direction of rotation of said units and rotating inthe other.

7. The combination with a trip section odometer comprising a pluralityof number units having transfer mechanism therebetween and unit drivingmechanism connectible to an outside drive, of resetting mechanismincluding a reset shaftymeans for rotating said units to effect of quickreset thereof upon a resetting operation of said shaft, and means for atwill operating said shaft to effect said quick reset while said driving.mechanism remains connected to an outside drive, and means for at willactuating said driving mechanism to disconnect it from an outside driveand thereupon rotating said units through said transfer mechanism whilesaid shaft operating means is inoperative.

8. The combination with a trip section odometer comprising a pluralityof number units having transfer mechanism therebetween and unit drivingmechanism including a driving member connectible to an outside drive, ofresetting mechanism including a rotatable reset shaft, means on saidunits for effecting a quick reset of said units upon rotation of saidshaft in a resetting direction, and means for at will rotating saidshaft while said driving member remains connected to an outside driveincluding a reset knob and means operated by said knob for shifting saiddriving member to disconnect the outside drive and thereupon rotatingsaid unitsthrough said transfer mechanism while said shaft isstationary.

t. The combination with a trip section odometer comprising a pluralityof number units having transfer mechanism therebetween and unit drivingmechanism including a driving member connected to the first unit, ofresetting mechanism for said units including a reset shaft rotatablerelative to said first unit,v a rotatable and reciprocable reset lrnob.means rotatable by said knob in one longitudinal position of the latterfor operating said shaft to eifect a` quick reset of said units, andmechanism operable by said knob as the latter is reciprocated intoanother longitudinal position thereof for shifting said driving memberand thereupon driving said units through said transfer mechanism withsaid shaft stationary in one direction of rotation of said units orrotating upon a reverse direction of the latter.

dil. The combination with a trip section odometer comprising pluralityof number units having transfer mechanism therebetween and unit drivingmechanism including a driving member connectible to an outside drive, ofresetting mechanism for said units including a rotatable reset shaft, arotatable and reciprocable reset knob. means rotatable by said knob inone longitudinal position of the latter for operating said shaft Whilesaid driving member remains connected to an outside drive, and mechanismoperable by said hnob for shifting said driving member to disconnectsaid outside drive as said knob is reciprocated and thereafter rotatingsaid units through said transfer mechanism.

li. A resettrip section odometer comprising a plurality of number unitshaving transfer mechanism therebetween, a shaft projecting from saidunits, unit driving means on said shaft ineluding a rotatable andreciprocable element and a cam. Quick reset means between said units andsaid shaft operable upon rotation of the latter in a resettingdirection, a reciprocable and r0- tatable reset knob carrying a camcooperating with said rst mentioned cam to reciprocate said element, andselectively operative rotating connections between said knob and shafton the one hand and said knob and rotating element on the other.

i2. A reset trip section odometer comprising a plurality of number`units having transfer mechsm therebetween, a shaft projecting from saidunits, unit driving means on said shaft comprising a rotatable andreciprocable element and a cam quick reset means between said units andsaid shaft operable upon rotation of the latter in' a resettingdirection, a reciprocable and rotatable reset knob carrying a camcooperating with said first mentioned cam to reciprocate said element,and selectively operative rotating connections between said knob andshaft on the one 5 hand and said knob and rotating element on the othercomprising rotating means on said knob cooperating with said rotatingelement in one longitudinal position of the knob, and rotating means onsaid shaft cooperating with said rotating means on said knob in anotherlongitudinal position of the latter.

13. A reset trip section odometer comprising a plurality of number unitshaving transfer mechanism therebetween, a shaft projecting from saidunits, unit driving means on said shaft including a rotatable andreciprocable element and a cam, quick reset means between said units andsaid shaft operable upon rotation of the latter in a resettingdirection, a reciprocable and rotatable reset knob carrying a camcooperating with said rst mentioned cam to reciprocate said element, andselectively operative driving connections between said knob and shaft onthe one hand and said knob and rotating element on the other comprisinga plurality of rotating means one engaged and operable only when saidreciprocable cam is in one position and the other only when said cam isin another position. 14. In a counter, the combination with a pluralityof counter units having transfer mechanism therebetween, drivingmechanism for said units, and quick reset mechanism for the latterhaving a reset shaft, of a single manually operable actuating member forsetting said units, 37' and means selectively operable by said actuatingmember for operating said shaft Ato reset said units in one position ofsaid member and in another position thereof for selectively rotatingsaid units in opposite directions.

15. In a counter, a plurality of counter units having transfer mechanismtherebetween and quick reset mechanism including a reset shaft,

driving means for said units including a driving element on said shaft,a single actuating member, and mechanism selectively operable by saidactuating member for operating said shaft in a direction to reset saidunits in one position of said member and in another position thereof forrotating said units in opposite directions including means forautomatically shifting said driving element along said shaft beforereversely rotating said'units as aforesaid.

16. In a counter, a plurality of counter units having transfer mechanismtherebetween and quick reset mechanism including a reset shaft, drivingmeans for said units including a driving element on said shaft, a singlerotatable and reciprocable actuating member, and mechanism selectivelyoperable by said actuating member for operating said shaft in oneposition of reciprocation of said member to reset said units uponrotation of said actuating member inl a resetting direction and inanother position thereof for rotating said units in opposite directionsupon` rotation of said actuating member in opposite directions includingmeans for automatically shifting said driving element along said shaftupon reciprocation of said actuating member.

17. In a counter, a plurality of counter units having transfer mechanismtherebetween and quick reset mechanism having pawls carried by saidunits and a reset shaft having a groove cooperating with said pawls inone direction of rotation of said shaft, a single rotatable andreciprocable actuating member, means cooperating in one position of saidmember for rotating said shaft to effect a quick reset, and meanscooperating in another position of said member for rotating said unitsin opposite directions through said transfer mechanism with said pawlsmoving over saidgroove in one direction and engageable therein iny theother direction to rotate said shaft.

HARVEY N. BLISS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,077,666.

April 2o, 119:57.

l HARVEY N BLISS It is hereby certified that 'error appears in theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows: first column, line 52, after the word "mechanisms" insert a.comma; and sec- Page l,

ond column, line 15, after "to" insert be; page 2, second column.' line73, claim l, for "direciori" read direction; page 5, first column, line34, claim 4, Strike out the comma before "and"; line 6l, claim 6. for

"mechanism" read mechanisms; and second column, line 73, claim l2, after"cam" insert a comma; and that the said Lettersv Patent should be readwlth these. corrections therein that the same 'may conform to the recordof the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of July, A. D. 1937.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents.

